According to joint information on June 8 from RMC and the Team, Olympique Lyonnais should soon go under the American flag even if Jean-Michel Aulas will remain its president.
L'Equipe thus announces that Foster Gillett would be the best placed to become the majority shareholder of the Lyon club.
Originally from Colorado, 45-year-old Foster Gillett is the son of George Gillett, the former owner of Liverpool between 2007 and October 2010. During this period Foster Gillett served as director of the English club.
The Gillett family had sold its shares in October 2010 after disagreements with other shareholders.
The son was also the general manager of Booth Creek Management Corporation in Colorado, a company that manages ski resorts, and was also involved with a NASCAR team, Richard Petty Motorsports, until 2010. A few months ago, Gillett was also in discussions with the owners of Derby County to take control of the club, which has just been relegated to League One (British third division).
The American businessman would be in pole position to buy 40% of the capital of OL, the shares of Pathé and IDG, on sale since March 8 and the marketing of the respective shares of the two shareholders (19, 36 for Pathé and 19.85 for IDG).
This sale would offer a large financial offer which will allow Lyon to benefit from a large margin of maneuver for its future investments.
A few other investment funds, all American, are still in the running for takeover but Gillett seems to be holding the line.
The sums at stake are surely considerable.
In 2016, when the Chinese group IDG bought 20% of the club for a check for 100 million euros, the valuation of OL Group amounted to 500 million.
It's not anymore.
Whatever the name of the future owner, the president of OL will remain Jean-Michel Aulas in office since the end of the 1980s. It is he who is in charge of the takeover operation.